An Intermediate Esl Reader

AN INTERMEDIATE ESL READER

ERICA VAN PATTEN

“But he was able to understand one thing: making a decision was only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him into places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision."

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Thank you Tom and Gigi for joining me in my adventures. And for Samantha, who will surely join me in my next one.

For the Teacher

Learning should be fun, especially learning another language. The Adventures in English series goal is to provide a fun and authentic reader to the English language learner with a focus on life skills. These readers are intended for intermediate ESL students of all ages and all backgrounds. They are not traditional readers; they should not be read in order from beginning to end. Readers have choices they have to make at the end of each page and depending on what they choose to do, will end up on different pages and choosing different adventures.

Adventures in English: New York City is best for use with the high-beginner/intermediate level. This particular adventure takes place on the streets of New York City where the adventurer (you) encounters relevant obstacles and situations. Readers will follow the story line until it inevitably ends at one of the 16 different episodes. The adventure doesn’t have to end there though; readers can simply start at the beginning of the book and make new decisions that will lead them to a different ending.

This reader can be used in the classroom or individually. In the classroom, students can take turns reading the story and making decisions as a group. Questions at the end of each episode encourage thinking skills, introduce conversational topics for discussion and provide students with a classroom expansion activity. There are also suggested role-plays at the end of the book for the teacher to use in the classroom. Interspersed throughout the book are authentic dialogues that the English language learner will encounter in (real life) New York and can practice in the classroom.

In the classroom, teachers have a choice whether to let the students guide the story or to guide the story themselves. In order to ensure that all the important material is covered in the book, a list of suggested threads is listed below. With these suggested threads, teachers can incorporate the book into their lesson by topic or function.

This book is available as either an ebook or a paperback. The paperback edition includes added features for the classroom including suggested threads, role plays and a glossary. For more information, visit www.adventuresinenglishnyc.com.

iii

Suggested threads:

#1 The Money Exchange Ending #2 The Beyonce Ending describing a person, exchanging money exchanging money, checking in at a hotel, 2– 3 –7 – 11 meeting a celebrity, asking a policeman for help 2-3-7-8-9-15-17-25-32

#3 The Mugging Ending #4 The Hospital Ending describing baggage, meeting a celebrity asking for help, describing baggage, checking in at a 2-5-9-15-17-25-16-35 hotel, healthcare 2-4-5-9-13-50

#5 The Lost Ending #6 The Shopping Ending stolen baggage, checking in at a hotel, checking in at a hotel, concierge desk meeting a celebrity, asking/giving directions dealing with difficult customers, requesting a photo, offering sales help 2-3-6-5-9-15-17-25-16-34-52 2-5-9-13-47-23-27-31-37-54-56

#7 The Taxi Ending #8 The Instagram Ending accommodation counter, exchanging money describing baggage, accommodation counter, social checking in at a hotel, concierge desk, media taking a taxi 2-5-9-14-22-64-62-73-65 2-3-7-8-9-13-47-18-26-31-38-58

#9 The Pick-Pocked Ending #10 The Extended Stay Ending stolen baggage, describing baggage, describing baggage, accommodation counter accommodation counter, offering sales help tipping, getting a job 2-3-6-5-9-14-20-63-69-74-70 2-5-9-14-21-63-69-72-75

#11 The One Day Vacation Ending #12 The Restaurant Ending asking for help, describing baggage, describing baggage, accommodation counter exchanging money, accommodation counter, checking in at a hotel, concierge desk, ordering food, checking in at a hotel , introducing someone requesting the bill 2-4-5-8-9-15-81-77 2-5-9-13-47-48-79 iv

#13 The Jailhouse Ending #14 The Permanent Vacation Ending asking for help, describing baggage, describing baggage, accommodation counter, exchanging money, accommodation counter, taking English classes, getting a job talking to the police 2-4-5-8-9-82-84-89 2-5-9-82-84-86-91

#15 The #1 Yankee Fan #16 The Happily Ever After Ending asking for help, describing baggage, describing baggage, accommodation counter exchanging money, accommodation counter, checking in at a hotel, going to the zoo, dating attending a sports event 2-5-9-82-83-93 2-4-5-8-9-82-83-95

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Questions for Endings:

1. The Money Exchange Ending 12 2. The Beyonce Ending 33 3. The Mugging Ending 36 4. The Hospital Ending 51 5. The Lost Ending 53 6. The Shopping Ending 57 7. The Taxi Ending 59 8. The Pen Pal Ending 66 9. The Pick-Pocketing Ending 71 10. The Extended Stay Ending 76 11. The One Day Vacation Ending 78 12. The Restaurant Ending 80 13. The Jailhouse Ending 90 14. The Permanent Vacation Ending 92 15. The #1 Yankee Fan Ending 94 16. The Happily Ever After Ending 96

Photo Book 98 Role Plays 99 Glossary 101 Appendix/NYC Subway Map 103 About the Author 104

Practice Conversations:

Asking for Help 4 Lost Baggage 5 Stolen Baggage 6 Exchanging money 8 Accommodations counter 9 Describing a person 11 Checking in at a hotel 13, 15 Meeting a celebrity 17 Offering sales help 20, 56 Dealing with difficult customers 23 Asking a policeman for help 32 Asking Directions 34 Meeting People 40 Concierge Desk 47 Ordering Food 48 Requesting a photo 54 Taking a taxi 58 Requesting the bill 79 Introducing someone 81

AN INTERMEDIATE ESL READER

Do not read this book in order from beginning to end. At the end of each page, you have to make a decision. Each decision leads you to a different page and a different story.

Eventually, you will reach the end of your adventure. Only then can you return to the beginning of the book and start over again, making different choices and choosing new adventures. You should try to make your vacation last as long as possible, so budget wisely!

The most important thing to remember about this book is that it is an adventure with you as the main character. There are no right or wrong decisions to make; there are simply adventures to follow.

Enjoy your adventure in New York City!

2 Welcome to New York City – the most exciting city in the world! You are on vacation and you want to see everything in New York while you are here. There is so much to see and do in New York – shopping, sightseeing and dining. You don’t know where to begin!

Your plane arrives at JFK International Airport. You have with you your passport, your debit card and your cellphone as well as your plane ticket to return home. You exit the plane and walk to the Customs area. The airport is busy and very confusing and you wait in line for 45 minutes and use a self kiosk to scan your passport. You finally get to the front of the line and give the Customs Official the immigration form you filled out on the plane. He asks you a few questions.

Customs Official: “How long are you staying in New York?”

You: “About one week.”

Customs Official: “Where are you staying?”

You: “At a hotel. I’m not sure which one yet.”

Customs Official: Are you here for business or pleasure?

You: I’m here on vacation.

The Customs inspection takes about three minutes. After it is finished, you look for the Baggage

Claim area. You follow signs that look like this:

There it is – the baggage claim area! You wait a half an hour for your baggage but you don’t see it. All the passengers have their baggage except you. What do you do?

You wait longer. Turn to page 3 You ask the security guard. Turn to page 4 You go to the missing baggage counter. Turn to page 5

(continued from page 2) 3 You decide to wait longer for your baggage. Maybe it will arrive soon. The person who sat next to you on the plane is waiting too. Her name is Tamara White and she starts talking to you.

Tamara: Are you still waiting for your bag?

You: Yes, I don’t know where it is. I have been waiting a half an hour.

Tamara: Don’t worry; it will turn up sooner or later. Is this your first time in New York?

You: Yes, I’m here on vacation. Is it your first time here too?

Tamara: Oh, no, I grew up here. I was born in Brooklyn. I just got back from a business trip. I work in International Banking. Oh, here is my bag! I‘ve got to run because I have a meeting in 30 minutes. Be careful. There are a lot of dishonest people in New York. It was nice to meet you.

You: It was nice to meet you too. Goodbye.

After 10 minutes, you are still waiting for your bag but it has still not arrived. Then you see a man walking away with your bag! It is a black suitcase with a gold handle; it looks just like your bag. The man is tall and is wearing a brown cowboy hat. He has brown hair and brown eyes.

He looks suspicious. What do you do?

You stop the man. Turn to page 6 You follow the man. Turn to page 7

(continued from page 2) 4 You decide to ask the security guard. He must know what to do! As you approach the security guard, you notice a nametag on his uniform that says “John”. John is leaning on the counter and watching people walk by.

You: Excuse me John, I lost my baggage. Can you help me?

Security Guard: Where did you lose it?

You: I didn’t lose it. It never arrived. I’ve been waiting for 20 minutes and there are no bags left on the conveyor belt.

Security Guard: Well, then I can’t help you. You need to report it at the missing baggage counter. The counter is over there.”

You: Over there by the exit?

Security Guard: No. It’s over there by the accommodations counter. It has glass doors.

You: Oh, I see it now. Thank you very much for your help.

Security Guard: No problem.

Turn to page 5

(continued from page 2,4,&6) 5 You walk to the missing baggage counter. There are many people waiting and you walk to the end of the line. There is a young German couple in front of you talking about visiting South Street Seaport. There is supposed to be a free concert there. The couple also is talking about a cruise that they are going on. Hmm, sounds fun, maybe if you have time, you’ll go to the seaport to see the concert. You finally reach the beginning of the line after waiting for 45 minutes. A woman behind the counter greets you.

Woman: May I help you?

You: Yes, my baggage is missing.

Woman: Ok, first you need to fill out this form. What does your baggage look like?

You: My suitcase is black with a gold handle. It has my name written on the identification tag.

Woman: Is your bag hard-sided, or is it a duffel bag?

You: It’s hard-sided. Will I get my bag today?

Woman: Probably not, but we will call you when we find it. Please write down your cellphone number. Next in line.

You: Well uh, thank you anyway.

You leave the baggage claim area with no bags. You have no clothes so you need to go shopping. You need to exchange money and a place to stay too. What do you do first?

You exchange money. Turn to page 8 You go to the accommodations counter. Turn to page 9

(continued from page 3) 5

6 You confront the man. He is walking toward the exit as you walk up to him.

You: Excuse me, are those your bags?

Man: Yes, they are. Why?

You: Because my bag is missing and it looks like yours.

Man (annoyed): Are you saying I stole your bag?

You: No, but can I see the identification tag? I wrote my name on the tag. Here comes the security guard. He can clear this up.

Security Guard: Is there a problem here?

Man: This person thinks I stole this bag.”

You: My bag looks just like that one. My name is on the identification tag.

Security Guard: There’s no identification tag. Let’s look inside the bag and then we can settle this. I only see clothes, a hairbrush and cowboy boots. Are you sure this is your bag?

You: Well, maybe not. I’m sorry to have bothered you.

Security Guard: You need to go to the missing baggage counter. They can help you.

You are very frustrated and need to calm down. You sit down for five minutes. Now you are ready to continue. What do you do first? You go to the missing baggage counter. Turn to page 5 You exchange money. Turn to page 8

(continued from page 3) 7 You follow the man with the cowboy hat. He walks out of the baggage claim area and heads toward the airport exit. He goes to the taxi area and waits in line. You realize you don’t have any money for a taxi! You haven’t exchanged money yet. You can’t follow him without money to pay for a taxi. You need to exchange money in the airport but you will lose the man with the cowboy hat.

“Hey, Hey”, someone yells trying to get your attention. You look around and see Tamara waiting in line for a taxi. She is waving to you so you walk over to her. “Do you want to share a taxi with me, I’m heading into Manhattan?” she asks. “This man has offered to share his taxi with me and we’re trying to find a third person in order to save some money” Tamara says. The man she is referring to is the man wearing the cowboy hat who took your baggage! She wants you to share a taxi with the man who has your baggage?! If you take the taxi, you will be able to find out where the man lives. Hmm, you want to take the taxi but you don’t have any American dollars yet. “Well”, Tamara says, do you want to take the taxi with us or not? You need to decide soon because the taxi is leaving.”

Oh, what are you going to do? You will miss the taxi if you go back inside to exchange money. As you are standing there, a man wearing jeans approaches you at that moment and asks if you need any help. “Do you know a place near here to exchange money quickly”, you ask. “As a matter of fact, I can exchange money with you. I’ll give you a better rate than the official exchange rate” he answers.

It’s risky but you need money fast if you want to follow the man who has your bag. What do you do?

You exchange money with the man. Turn to page 11 You exchange money in the airport. Turn to page 8

(continued from page 5 &7) 8 You go to the money exchange counter because the ATM is out of order. You decide to exchange all your money because even though it’s not the best rate, it’s the safest. You can worry about your baggage later.

You: Excuse me Ma’am, I’d like to exchange some money.

Exchange Cashier: Okay, How much do you want to exchange?

You: All of my money. How many American dollars can I get with this? (You give her all your money)

Cashier: According to the chart on the wall, you can get about $1500 including the fee. You can probably get a better rate at the ATM, but you still have to pay your bank and ATM fees too. Do you still want to exchange your money?

You: Yes, I do.

Cashier: All right. Here is your money, $1542.25. Is that all?

You: Yes, thank you very much. Goodbye.

Cashier: Have a nice day.

You have your money and you want to try to make it last as long as possible. You wonder how long you can stay in New York with $1500? You will soon find out.

Now you are ready to look for a place to stay.

Turn to page 9

(continued from page 5 & 8) 9 You go to the accommodations counter. There is a man behind the counter. Maybe he can help you find a place to stay in New York.

You: Can you help me? I need a place to stay.

Man: How long are you planning to stay?

You: It depends. About a week, I guess. I want to stay at a nice hotel but I don’t have a lot of money.

Man: Well, if you want to stay in New York for a whole week, you can stay in an airbnb. It costs around $30-$200 a night but you might have to share your room with other people and there’s no guarantee of privacy. There are rooms and apartments for rent all over New York City.

You: That’s a possibility. What else do you recommend?

Man: The Plaza is one of the nicest hotels in New York but it is also one of the most expensive. A lot of celebrities stay there and it costs about $600 or more a night. Or, there is the Marriott Marquis in the Theater district. It’s close to a lot of restaurants and Broadway shows. It costs about $300 a night. A cheaper option, for about $100/night in Manhattan is the Bowery House. It’s a very small room, but you are close to a lot of tourist attractions in a trendy area like Little Italy, Greenwich Village and Chinatown.

You: Thank you for your help. I need to think about it.

You really want to stay in Manhattan, but it might be fun to explore other areas. Where do you want to stay?

Turn to the next page

The Marriot Marquis The Plaza

The Bowery House

Airbnb

You decide to stay at an Airbnb. Turn to page 82 You decide to stay at the Plaza in Midtown. Turn to page 15 You decide to stay at the Marriott Marquis in the Theater District. Turn to page 13 You decide to stay at The Bowery House in Nolita. Turn to page 14

(continued from page 7) 11 You decide to exchange money with the man wearing the jeans. As you take your money out of your wallet, the man rips the money out of your hand and runs away! Oh no, your debit card was in there as well as all of your money and you need to get it back. You try to run after him but you lose sight of him in the busy airport terminal.

“Help! Help! A man just stole all my money!” you scream and a security guard comes running over.

Security Guard: Ok, calm down. What did the man look like?

You: He was around 30 years old and he had a beard.

Security Guard: Can you tell me anything else? What was he wearing?

You: I don’t remember. Oh, wait! He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt.

Security Guard: How tall was he? What color hair did he have?

You: He was a little taller than me and I think he had brown hair.

Security Guard: We’ll see if we can find him but the airport is crowded so we probably won’t. You shouldn’t exchange money on the street. It’s very dangerous. Good luck.

What are you going to do now? You have no money and you don’t know anybody in New York. The only thing you have is a return ticket. You don’t have a choice; you have to return home on the next flight. Your adventure is over before it started, maybe next time you’ll exchange money in a safer place.

THE END Continue to the next page.

#1 THE MONEY EXCHANGE ENDING

I. Discussion/Thinking Questions

1. What is the exchange rate for your country’s currency and the US dollar? Is this a good rate? Where do you think is the best place to exchange money?

2. Have you ever exchanged money at places other than official exchange counters or banks? What happened? Did you get a better rate?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exchanging money at an official exchange counter compared to an ATM?

II. Classroom Expansion Activity

Role Play: Exchanging Money (see page 99 for more role plays)

Practice the role play with a partner. Use the conversation on page 8 as a guide.

Customer: You need to exchange money at the money exchange counter. You don’t think the rate is very good and you are thinking about waiting to exchange money outside the airport.

Clerk: You are a clerk at the money exchange counter in the airport. A customer thinks that he/she can get a better rate outside the airport. Explain that it is possible to get a better rate but also more dangerous.

(continued from page 9) 13 You decide to stay at the Marriott Marquis in the Theater district. It’s only $300 a night so you can afford to stay in New York for a couple of days. You also want to see a Broadway show.

You take a taxi to your hotel. It costs $55 and you give the taxi driver an additional $5 tip. $60 is a lot of money for a taxi but at least you are at your hotel. You get out of the taxi in front of the Marriott Marquis. It’s a very tall building and there are a lot of people walking on the sidewalk. You walk through the revolving door and head toward the front desk.

You: Excuse me; I would like a room please.

Clerk: Would you like 2 double beds or a queen bed? Also, how long will you be staying?

You: A queen please and I’ll be staying for 3 days.

Clerk: Would you like to add the breakfast package?

You: No thank you.

Clerk: Ok, I have a queen room for you, room 1113. It’ll be $1142 including surcharges and tax. How would you like to pay?

You: How? With cash I guess. I don’t have a credit card. Excuse me, can you tell me if there are any good restaurants around here? I’m starving.

Clerk: The concierge desk will have that information. It’s over there. Here’s your key.

To go to the concierge desk, turn to page 47 To go to your room, turn to page 50

(continued from page 9) 14 You decide to stay at The Bowery House in Nolita, which is a type of hostel. It’s only around $100 a night so you can afford to stay in New York for almost a whole week and you have enough money to go shopping too. There’s free wifi too so you can facetime your friends back home.

The hotel is on Bowery Street located north of Little Italy, and next to Soho, The Lower East Side and Chinatown. You see many people in the lobby waiting to check in, mostly young men. You hope the hotel will have a room for you. You are told that only one single cabin is left by a man named Uke at the front desk and that you will need to share the bathroom with everyone else on the floor. You go to your room and realize it has an open ceiling so you can hear everything in the rooms next to you. It is also very very small-there is only room for one twin bed and a nightstand. Well, you are on a budget and you weren’t expecting anything fancy. You go to the main floor living room which is where everyone hangs out and see a man on the sofa. You introduce yourself.

Jose: Hi, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Jose Smith. How long are you staying here?

You: I’m planning to stay for a week. What about you?

Jose: Probably a week too. I’m an ESL teacher in Japan and I have to return before the semester starts. I’m here for a wedding.

You: Are from New York originally?

Jose: No, I’m from California but my best friend from college teaches here in New York. He’s the one getting married.

You talk with him a little longer and he tells you that there are 3 good neighborhoods you can go for shopping: Soho, The East Village and Greenwich Village. Where do want to start shopping?

To go shopping in Soho, turn to page 20 To go shopping in The East Village, turn to page 21 To go shopping in Greenwich Village, turn to page 22

(continued from page 9) 15 You decide to stay at The Plaza in Midtown. It’s expensive and you can only afford to stay for one night but maybe you’ll spot a celebrity.

You take a taxi to your hotel. A doorman opens your car door for you and escorts you to the front desk. Wow, The lobby is large and luxurious-you feel so small! At the front desk, the clerk asks you some questions.

Clerk: Welcome to the Plaza. How long will you be staying with us?

You: Just one night.

Clerk: And would you like a 2 double beds, a king or the penthouse suite?

You: How much is the penthouse suite?

Clerk: It’s $30,000 per night.

You: That’s expensive! I think I’ll take the cheapest room.

Clerk: Ok, that will be $1156 including hotel fees, surcharges and tax.

You pay the front desk. You don’t have much money left but you’re hungry. You at least have enough money to get something to eat. You ask the doorman to recommend a good restaurant. He tells you that Jean Georges is the best restaurant in town or if you want something just as elegant but a little cheaper, you can try eating at the hotel’s restaurant called The Palm Court. It has an excellent afternoon tea service. Where do you want to eat?

You eat at Jean Georges Restaurant. Turn to page 17 You eat at The Palm Court in the Plaza Hotel. Turn to page 81

(continued from page 25) 16 You take the uptown # 6 train one stop to 59th street and get off. You climb the stairs to the street and stand on the corner. You are not sure which direction the Plaza is in, only that it is located somewhere on 5th Avenue.

As you are standing on the corner, you see a woman walk by who looks familiar. It’s Tamara White! You sat next to her on the plane. “Tamara, Tamara”, you yell. She looks over.

You: Hey, what are you doing around here?

Tamara: Oh hi! I live on 65th and Lexington? Are you staying on the East side?

You: Oh no, I’m staying at the Plaza.

Tamara: The Plaza! What a nice hotel. Maybe I’ll see you later, I’m meeting friends for drinks a The Palm Court.

You: Maybe, but I already ate at Jean Georges.

Tamara: Wow, you have expensive tastes. Listen, I’ve got to go. I’m meeting someone and I’m late. Bye.

Tamara turns around and hurries down the sidewalk. Oh darn!! You forgot to ask her directions. You think the Plaza is 2 blocks to the east. It’s getting late and you want to get back to the hotel soon. Do you want to ask someone directions or start walking east?

To ask directions, turn to page 34. To start walking east, turn to page 35

(continued from page 15) 17 You decide to eat at Jean Georges. After all, you’re staying at the best hotel in town; you might as well eat at the best restaurant in town. The front desk calls the restaurant and makes a reservation for you.

You decide to walk to Jean Georges since you have some extra time. It’s located in the Trump Hotel and there are a lot of protesters outside. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea, but they let you in with no problem. When you arrive at the restaurant, the hostess seats you at the bar while you wait for your table. You order a soda that costs you $20. You begin to wonder if you can afford to eat here and ask the hostess for a menu. Ouch!! The prix fixe menu is $148! Maybe you will just have a few drinks and then return to your hotel. You need to save your money for tomorrow.

As you sip your soda, a woman sits at the bar next to you. She looks familiar but you are not sure why. Then you realize she looks like Beyonce . Wait a second, it is Beyonce – the internationally famous singer who is married to Jay Z! They live in New York City.

You: Excuse me, are you Beyonce?

Beyonce: Yes, I am.

You: Oh my God! It’s great to meet you. Can I buy you a drink?

Beyonce: Of course you can. I’d like an apple martini.

You: I love your music! I have all your MP3’s. Is there any way I can get an autograph?

Beyonce: Sure, do you have a pen?

Wow, you just met Beyonce and got her autograph! You can’t wait to tell your friends back home. Unfortunately, you spent most of your money buying drinks for Beyonce so you can’t afford dinner. You decide to leave and return to the hotel. Turn to page 25

(continued from page 47) 18 You decide to eat at the Lucky Cheng’s with the woman. You take a taxi with her to the restaurant. You start talking to her and tell her a little bit about yourself.

You: I’m here on vacation. What about you?

Woman: I’m just moved here from Atlanta, Georgia. I want to work on Broadway but before I can start auditioning, I need to find a place to stay. By the way, my name is Natasha Jones.

You: It’s nice to meet you Natasha. Are you an actress then? Do you mean that you want to work in the Broadway shows like Phantom of the Opera and Chicago?

Natasha: Yes!! I played the lead in my High School production of Oklahoma and my teacher told me I should come to New York to become an actress. It’s expensive here though. I need to find a job as a waitress so I can afford the rent for an apartment.

You: Well, good luck! Have you ever done cabaret? I’ve heard that cabaret is when people dress up in fancy clothes and dance and sing.

Natasha: I’ve never done cabaret but I’m curious about it. I’ve heard it’s very entertaining.

The show is entertaining and a little shocking. At first you think the servers are women, but then you realize they are men dressed as women! They are in drag! It’s a drag show! Wait till you tell your friends back home you went to a drag show. After you finish your meal, you split the bill with Natasha. Then, you and Natasha decide to go see a Broadway show. Your waiter, Divine, recommends three shows in the area. Natasha wants to see Chicago.

Which one do you want to see?

Turn to the next page.

REVIEWS OF BROADWAY SHOWS

“A visually impressive romantic musical!”

“The longest running show on Broadway- A must see!”

“This is more than a show about a chandelier.”

“Good luck getting tickets to one of the hottest shows of the year!”

Rebels, rap and revolution- Hamilton is making its own history!”

“Flawless choreography by Bob Fosse makes this the most entertaining show on Broadway.”

A true classic-sexy, jazzy and funny-what more could you want in a musical?”

To see The Phantom of the Opera, turn to page 26 To see Chicago, turn to page 27 To see Hamilton, turn to page 28

(continued from page 14) 20 You decide to go shopping in Soho. They have a lot of clothes stores there and you can buy some presents for your friends and family back home.

Soho has many stores, restaurants and art galleries. You walk down Broadway and check out Diesel, Anthropologie and Tommy Hilfilger, which are all popular American clothes stores. You even buy some shirts and pants since your baggage hasn’t been found yet.

You go into the store The Gap. A salesperson comes up to you:

Salesperson: May I help you?

You: No thank you, I’m just looking.

Salesperson: Are you looking for something special? We’re having a sale on jeans this week; buy one get one free.

You: That’s ok, I’m fine.

Salesperson: Ok, please let me know if you need any help. I’ll be over here.

You look around a little and then leave The Gap. You have been shopping for 4 hours and you are getting tired. You need some caffeine, maybe coffee or tea but maybe you should return to the hotel to drop off your bags. What do you want to do?

You go to a coffee shop. Turn to page 63 You return to the hotel. Turn to page 64

(continued from page 14) 21 You decide to go shopping in the East Village. You heard that it’s a very trendy neighborhood and you want to see a part of New York City that not many people get to see.

You walk to Houston Street and 2nd Avenue. Many young people are hanging out in the neighborhood. They are eating in cafes, reading in coffee shops and waiting in line for to buy tickets for off-Broadway plays and underground concerts. There are many alternative rock bands that play in East Village. One popular place where new bands perform often is called The Bowery Ballroom.

The further east you walk the more alternative the neighborhood becomes. Soon you are in Alphabet City. Someone at the hotel told you that the reason it is called Alphabet City is because the streets are named Avenue A, B, C and D until the neighborhood ends at the East River. It used to have a lot of crime, but now it is home to musicians and other artistic types of people.

You walk back from the Alphabet City to the East Village. You walk down Houston and turn off into side streets where there are many little boutiques and shops. Good, now you can buy some clothes. The clothes in these boutiques are all very original, that is, they are all handmade and one of a kind.

You stop at a coffee shop to get some tea and decide to stay for a little bit to hear poetry reading by various authors. The poetry reading lasts about 2 hours but you leave after an hour. You start shopping again.

You have been walking for 3 hours and you are exhausted. What do you want to do now?

You go to a coffee shop. Turn to page 63 You return to the hotel. Turn to page 64

(continued from page 14) 22 You decide to go shopping in Greenwich Village. “Great”, says Jose. “I’ll go with you because I need to get a present for my friend’s wedding.

Greenwich Village, Jose tells you, has great shopping and many other things like coffee shops, Off-Broadway plays, and street performances in Washington Square Park. It also has cool music and independent student films playing at the New York Film School. While you are shopping, Jose tells you all about his teaching job in Japan. He teaches in a private language school for teens and adults in Osaka. He has a Japanese girlfriend and on weekends, they both travel all over the country of Japan. He used to teach in Korea but moved to Japan after he met his girlfriend. “Everyone wants to learn to speak English in Japan”, he says. “Especially if you want to work in business. It’s very crowded over there.” “Even more crowded than New York?” you ask. “Oh, definitely”, he answers. Jose buys some silverware for his friend’s wedding and then goes back to the hotel. You decide to walk around some more.

New York University is located in the heart of Greenwich Village so there are many young students walking in the streets as well as tourists from all over the world. There are also many bars, restaurants, stores, and palm readers. You decide to go see a palm reader since it only cost $20.

The palm reader tells you will live a long, happy life and have 3 children. She also tells you that your trip to New York will change your life and you will meet a tall dark stranger who is your soul mate. You will meet this stranger sometime in the next 36 hours. Jose is tall and dark but there is no way he can be your soul mate. You really don’t believe the palm reader but you’ll keep a “look out” for this a stranger just in case what the palm reader said is true. Where do you want to go to meet the tall dark stranger?

You go Washington Square Park. Turn to page 67 You return to the hotel. Turn to page 64

(continued from page 47) 23 You decide to eat at The View Restaurant at the top of the Marriott Marquis. You can’t wait to see the view of the Manhattan skyline. You take a special elevator all the way to the 48th floor on top of the building. The view is beautiful and you can see New York from all directions because the restaurant rotates in a full circle every 1 hour and 10 minutes. A few blocks away you see the Chrysler building and the Hudson River. You can even see New Jersey on the other side of the river. You also see helicopters flying back and forth over the river giving rides to tourists. It’s difficult to see far because tall buildings on all sides surround the Marriott Marquis.

You order the crab cake and the New York sirloin steak off the 3 course prix fixe menu as well as a glass of wine from your waiter, Samir. Samir then goes to the table next you just as the couple sitting there starts fighting about their bill. It’s the same German couple from the missing baggage counter.

Woman: We did not eat the Lobster! Why are we being charged for it?

Samir: But you ordered it and the kitchen has already cooked it. Would you like to take it home with you?

Man: No! We don’t want to pay for it. It’s not our fault that it took so long to prepare. We have to leave; we are already late to the show.

Samir: Ok, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. Please accept our apologies. You will not be charged for the dish.

Woman: Thank you. Can we have the bill please? We’re in a hurry.

You finish your meal. Now you are ready to see a Broadway show. Which one do you want to see?

Turn to the next page

To see The Phantom of the Opera, turn to page 26 To see Chicago, turn to page 27 To see Hamilton, turn to page 28

(continued from page 17) 25 You leave Jean Georges and start to walk back to The Plaza. It’s getting chilly and you want to take a taxi back to the hotel but you don’t have enough money.

As you are walking, you notice what looks like a row of homeless people sleeping on the street. Wait, it’s not homeless people, it’s a line of people that stretches for 3 blocks. What are they all waiting in line for you wonder?

You: Excuse me, what are waiting on line for?

Mike: I’m standing in line for the new Iphone. It goes on sale in 36 hours.

You: You’re going to wait in the street for 36 hours for a cellphone?

Mike: Yep, I love technology. The new phone has a 3D sensor. Do you think you could do me a favor? I don’t want to lose my place in line, so if I give you money, will you go buy me a sandwich?

You: Sure, why not.

You buy Mike a sandwich as well as one for yourself that you can save for tomorrow, and then continue walking back to the hotel. You finally decide to take a subway since it only costs $3. You are on the corner of 51st street and Lexington. You have a choice of taking the 6, E or F train but you know your hotel is near the R train. You also know you need to go uptown since you are on 51st street and the hotel is on 59th street. Also, the E and F train run on the same line. Which subway do you take?

You take the Uptown 6. Turn to page 16. You take the Uptown E/F. Turn to page 32.

(continued from page 18 & 23) 26 You decide to see the Broadway show The Phantom of the Opera. You have heard that it is one of the most popular shows on Broadway. It is performed all around the world and has won numerous awards.

You wait in line and buy your ticket. There are no more seats in the orchestra area so you pay $90 for a seat in the balcony area. It’s harder to see the show but you are right next to the chandelier when it falls and crashes to the stage. You are taken by surprise but realize that it is part of the show.

The Phantom of the Opera is a musical based on a novel by Gaston Leroux. It’s about a man known as the Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House. He wears a mask to cover his scarred face and lives in the labyrinths underneath the Opera House. The Phantom becomes obsessed with Christine, a young singer. He gives her singing lessons and tries to help her career. But then she falls in love with someone else. The Phantom gets angry and kidnaps her. He keeps her in his dungeon underneath the Opera House where she is eventually rescued by her fiancé. It’s a very dramatic show. You love the singing and the 19th century costumes.

After the show you wait by the backstage door and get the autograph of the actor who plays the phantom. He signs your playbill and tells you to check out Central Park if you have time tomorrow.

It’s around 11pm. It has been a long day and you’re very tired but there is still so much to see. What do you want to do?

You go to Starbucks for cup of coffee. Turn to page 29 You go for a snack. Turn to page 30 You return to your hotel. Turn to page 31

(continued from page 18) 27 You decide to see the Broadway show Chicago with your new friend Natasha. It sounds like fun!

You wait in line and buy your ticket. It costs you $125 but you have seats in the 5th row! The show is fabulous. It takes place in a woman’s prison in the 1920’s and has a lot of singing and dancing. Chicago is a dark comedy about a woman named Roxy Hart who murders her boyfriend and avoids going to prison with the help of her charismatic lawyer. She sings and dances her way through the entire show. A famous choreographer named Bob Fosse created the show.

Natasha loves the musical. “That’s what I want to do!” she exclaims. “I can sing and dance just like that. Come on, let’s go wait backstage so we can meet the dancers.” You don’t really want to wait in the crowd and you have to use the bathroom so you tell her that you will meet her in the front of the theater in 15 minutes.

You arrive in front of the theater 15 minutes later but Natasha isn’t there. You wait longer but Natasha doesn’t show up. After 30 minutes, you are the only person standing in front of the theater. Where is Natasha? You really like her but you think it is really rude to be so late. A security guard from the theater comes over to you. “Your friend left”, he says. “She went with the cast to a party. She said she’ll meet you back at the hotel.” What?! How inconsiderate!! She just left you to go to a party and she didn’t even invite you. Well, who needs her anyway? You can enjoy yourself without her.

You start walking down the street toward 8th Avenue. The streets are still crowded and you are not in the mood to deal with being jostled by people. You’re not going to let Natasha’s rudeness ruin your night. You are determined to have fun. It’s late though and you’re getting tired. Maybe the best thing to do is to go back to the hotel.

It’s around 11pm. Do you want to go back to the hotel or do something else?

You go to Starbucks for cup of coffee. Turn to page 29 You go for a snack. Turn to page 30 You return to your hotel. Turn to page 31

(continued from page 18 & 23) 28 You decide to see the Broadway show Hamilton. You know that it is very hard to get tickets but you should at least try. It’s a unique musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of Alexander Hamilton and his role in the early history of the United States.

First, you go to the ticket booth in Times Square that sells same day discounted tickets. It’s called TKTS and is on Duffy Square on 47th street and 7th Avenue. You can get Broadway tickets for 25%-50% off. When you get there, not only is the line a mile long but there are no tickets available for Hamilton.

Next, you go to the actual theater where Hamilton is playing. The Richard Rogers Theater is on West 46th Street but when you arrive there is a line around the block. Your heart sinks. It doesn’t look like you are going to get to see the show tonight, but maybe you’ll get lucky.

You do not get lucky. When you go the ticket booth to buy a ticket, you are told the show is sold out for the next year!! It’s already after 8pm and it is too late to see another show because they have all started already. Oh well, maybe you can see a different show later in the week.

It’s still early and there are many things to do in the theater district. You walk around for a couple of hours and check out all the stores and restaurants in the neighborhood. You end up in Times Square. Wow-look at all the lights and people! You don’t know where to look first! It’s soooo crowded though that you decide to leave, especially after Spiderman tries to make you pay $20 for a picture with him. No thank you!

You are getting tired. What do you want to do?

You go to Starbucks for cup of coffee. Turn to page 29 You go for a snack. Turn to page 30 You return to your hotel. Turn to page 31

(continued from page 26) 29 You go to Starbucks for some coffee. Coffee shops are very popular in New York and many people hang out in them. You walk in the door and go toward the front counter to order some coffee. You: Can I have a large coffee please?

Starbucks: Decaf or regular?

You: Regular.

Starbucks: What flavor would you like? Hazelnut, vanilla cream, or coffee of the day?

You: um, coffee of the day please.

Starbucks: Ok, that’s Brazilian Roast. Anything else?

You: No, that’s all.

You pay for your coffee and sit down in an empty chair. There are a lot of people drinking coffee and reading newspapers and magazines. A woman approaches you and sits down in the chair next to you.

Woman: Excuse me, is this chair taken?

You: No, it’s free.

Woman: Thank you. My name is Sandra; it’s nice to meet you. You and Sandra start talking and you soon realize she used to live in your home country and you know some of the same people. She invites you to a party, but it has been a long day and you’re tired. Do you return to the hotel or go to the party? You go the party. Turn to page 39 You return to your hotel. Turn to page 31

(continued from page 26) 30 You’re hungry so you decide to get a snack. It’s getting late so first you’ll get a bite to eat and then go back to the hotel. You have a long day of sightseeing tomorrow.

You decide to walk around for a while. The crowds of people are overwhelming so you stand on a corner to avoid the crush of bodies. Times Square is a very big tourist area so there are people from all over the world crowded into a few square blocks. There’s a naked man singing for money and people dressed as superheroes who will take pictures with you for $20.

All of the Broadway shows have just ended so the streets are very crowded. You ask one of the people passing by if they know a good place to get something to eat. They recommend three places in the area. Connollys is an Irish Pub that has live music. Juniors is a restaurant with outdoor seating in the heart of Times Square and The Carnegie Club is a jazz/blues bar that serves food.

You get a snack at Connollys. Turn to page 40 You get a snack at Junior’s. Turn to page 44 You get a snack at The Carnegie Club. Turn to page 42

(continued from page 26, 27, 39, 40, 42 & 44) 31 You return to the Marriott Marquis. You have a long day tomorrow and you need to get to sleep so you can wake up early and go sightseeing. There are so many things to do in New York that you don’t know where to begin.

You ask the concierge at the hotel what are the best places to see in New York City. He tells you Central Park is nearby and there are many museums and visitor centers in the Park to explore. He also tells you that you must check out the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building because they are two of the most popular landmarks in the City. The last place he recommends is the The 9/11 Memorial and Museum which is located where the twin towers used to be before terrorists destroyed them with airplanes on September 11th, 2001. The museum attracts many tourists.

You go to sleep and wake up at 8am the next morning. You look out your window and watch all the people in the street rushing to get to work. They look like ants because you are so high up in the Marriot Marquis. New York is a very crowded city. There are over 8 million people living here. That’s not counting all the people that work here but live in the suburbs. Manhattan isn’t a very big island so in order to allow room for the population, the city was built upward. Skyscrapers are a typical part of New York’s skyline. From your hotel room, you can see one of the most famous skyscrapers, the Empire State Building. Beyond that, you can see the Chrysler building and a building that looks like a lipstick tube. There is so much to see in New York.

You remember all the places the doorman recommended visiting, but you still don’t know where to start. You take a shower, brush your teeth and get dressed. Your day is about to begin. Where do you want to go first?

To go to Central Park, turn to page 37. To go to the Statue of Liberty, turn to page 45. To go to the Empire State Building, turn to page 54. To go to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial, turn to page 38.

(continued from page 25) 32 You decide to take the Uptown E/F train. The first train that comes is the E and you get on. You get lucky and find an empty seat. You sit down next to an old man. A homeless person approaches you and asks you for loose change. You don’t have any, so you try not to make eye contact.

It has been a long day and you start to get sleepy. You yawn and close your eyes for a few seconds. You wake up when the train jerks to a stop. Oh no, you fell asleep!!! Where are you?! You look around the subway car and realize you are the only person on board. You get off the train and walk to the exit. You see a policeman and decide to ask him for directions. You: Officer, where am I?

Policeman: Jamaica, Queens.

You: Oh no, I don’t even know where that is! Can you tell me how to get back to The Plaza Hotel?

Policeman: You’re a long way from The Plaza-that’s in Manhattan. What you need to do is get on the next train going towards the city and get off at the 5th Avenue station. It’s a long ride. First you have to wait for the next train and then the ride is about 1 and a half hour long. It’s late so the trains don’t run very often; the next one will be here in about a half an hour to forty-five minutes.

You: Oh no, thank you very much officer. You take the next train back to Manhattan and get back to your hotel at 6 o’clock in the morning. You don’t even get a chance to sleep because you have to leave for the airport. You have spent all your money. You don’t even have money for a cab ride so you have to take the subway to JFK airport in Queens. Oh no, not Queens again! You had a good but short time in New York. Your vacation is over. The next time you come you will be sure to bring more money and stay in a cheaper hotel and eat at cheaper restaurants. You can’t wait to tell your friends back home that you met Beyonce! THE END Continue to the next page

#2 THE BEYONCE ENDING

I. Discussion/Thinking Questions

1. Have you ever fallen asleep on public transportation? What happened? What could happen?

2. Have you ever seen or met a celebrity? Who was it? What happened?

3. If you could meet any celebrity in the world, who would it be? Why? What would you ask them?

II. Classroom Expansion Activity

Question Structure Game: Who am I? – Asking Yes/no questions

The teacher tapes the name of a celebrity on the back of each student so that they cannot see it. Each person goes around and asks classmates yes/no questions about the celebrity on their back. Each student has to guess what celebrity is on his or her back. For example:

Am I an athlete? Am I an actress? Am I internationally famous?